Motor vehicle operators often drive to stores to purchase food and beverages. Many times they buy a food or beverage item that needs to stay fresh/cold (e.g. vegetables, frozen food, ice cream) or warm (prepared food) during a commute back home. In some cases this need for item temperature maintenance forces the vehicle operator to return immediately home to avoid significant and undesired temperature changes in the food or beverages being transported.
While a vehicle operator may utilize an aftermarket cooler for such a purpose, it should be appreciated that an aftermarket cooler occupies a substantial amount of space in the motor vehicle and will often be removed from the vehicle when not needed. In such a situation, such a cooler is often not in the vehicle when the food or beverages are purchased and it is needed most. Alternatively, the operator might simply forget to put the cooler in the vehicle when going to the market. Further, it should be appreciated an aftermarket cooler is not typically secured in the motor vehicle and, therefore, is loose in the storage area and subject to movement during operation of the motor vehicle. In some situations the aftermarket cooler may flip over and the contents of the cooler may spill.
This document relates to a new and improved storage unit for a motor vehicle that may be expanded when needed and contracted so as to be completely out of the way when not required for use. Further, the storage unit is releasably secured to the motor vehicle and thus will not slide around or flip over thereby ensuring that the contents in the storage unit are maintained in the storage unit in effective thermal isolation so as to maintain a desired temperature for the item over an extended period of time.